Abuja Residents Anguish At Disruption By Cattle Grazing Near Major Roads

Commuters and residents in the capital Abuja have reported an increase in disruptive encounters by herdsman and cattle grazing along its major roads, according to witnesses speaking to SaharaReporters.

by SaharaReporters, New YorkJul 20, 2016

Commuters and residents in the capital Abuja have reported an increase in disruptive encounters by herdsman and cattle grazing along its major roads, according to witnesses speaking to SaharaReporters.

Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, has been under increased pressure due to its population growth which has been exacerbated because of grazing activities obstructing vehicular and pedestrian movement, sources say. Last week SaharaReporters published a report on a single “mad cow” which interfered with the morning commute of drivers along a major highway.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has taken measures in the past to curb cattle grazing but its efforts have amounted to little more than verbal warnings to herdsmen to refrain from improper grazing activities along major highways.

One resident speaking to SaharaReporters explained his frustration by saying that the illegal grazing of cattle by herdsman is just one of several problems facing Abuja including the prevalence of street hawkers, unemployed youth, and “street urchins” which have “taken over every nook and cranny of the city.”

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